Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Dawson vs Coldspring

130 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (9.4× in Coldspring) and property tax bill (+78% in Dawson).

×
Dawson, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,322 people
×
Coldspring, TXA regional job hubTexas · 1,274 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

DawsonOne of the healthiest towns
Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$196K typical home35% below the TX typical home SchoolsBetter than 35%of TX districts All about Dawson →
ColdspringA regional job hub
Work448 jobsbased in Coldspring, a regional job hub Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 20%of TX districts All about Coldspring →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker9.4×
Coldspring is more of a job hub
Coldspring 1.59Dawson 0.17
Property tax bill+78%
Tax bills are bigger in Dawson
Dawson $2,253Coldspring $1,267
Home values+54%
Homes cost more in Coldspring
Coldspring $216,800Dawson $140,700
Work from home+16.3 pts
More people work from home in Dawson
Dawson 18.6%Coldspring 2.3%
Typical home built23 yrs
Dawson’s homes are older
Coldspring 1990Dawson 1967
Age 65++6.7 pts
Coldspring has more people 65 and up
Coldspring 21.1%Dawson 14.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Coldspring

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Dawson$1,290/mo
Typical home $196K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $748/mo · Housing →
Coldspring$1,600/mo
Typical home $279K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $777/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Coldspring and Dawson.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
C+DawsonBetter than 35% of districts in the state C−ColdspringBetter than 20% of districts in the state
Health
DDawsonHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns DColdspringHealthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
DawsonColdspring
Snow a year0″0″
January low35°F—
July high95°F—
Growing season (days)250d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th32nd
Outdoors & history
DawsonColdspring
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled1847—
National Register places—2
Archive photos—9
Famous people born here—3
Community
DawsonColdspring
Library hours a week—41 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

130 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DawsonTXColdspringTX
Dawson ↔ Coldspring130 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

DawsonColdspring
People
Population 1,322Highest 1,274Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Highest TX: +15.9% -4%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 40.7±9.2Lowest 14% above TX 42.4±11.5Highest 19% above TX
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.5%±3.9Highest TX: 25% 19.9%±5.9Lowest TX: 25%
Dawson and Coldspring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.4%±3.4Lowest TX: 13.4% 21.1%±2.3Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13%Lowest TX: 33.8% 14.8%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±2.5Lowest TX: 6.2% 4.9%±3.7Highest TX: 6.2%
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,042±$24kHighest 35% below TX $43,851±$10kLowest 44% below TX
Dawson and Coldspring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $140,700±$30kLowest 50% below TX $216,800±$46kHighest 24% below TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $748±$145Lowest 47% below TX $777±$73Highest 45% below TX
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,253Highest 47% below TX $1,267Lowest 70% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.5%±20.6Lowest TX: 51.7% 47.4%±12.2Highest TX: 51.7%
Coldspring and Dawson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 27%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.8%Highest TX: 62.6% 51%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1967Lowest 25 yrs older than TX 1990Highest 2 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 36 minHighest 34% above TX 36 minLowest 34% above TX
Work from home 18.6%±10.8Highest TX: 14.4% 2.3%±3.7Lowest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents 1.7%Lowest 4.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 52.3 miHighest 43.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.17Lowest 1.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Corsicana (19%)Houston (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColdspringFew work in Dawson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 41.3Lowest 44.8Highest
Schools
School district —COLDSPRING-OAKHURST CISD
High school in town —None in town
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Dawson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dawson’s Town Square.

Coldspring neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Coldspring’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Dawson and Coldspring

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Dawson

+ Compare
Stockdale1,377 people · $173K homes
+ Compare
Bronte1,041 people · $147K homes
+ Compare
Honey Grove1,824 people · $152K homes
O
+ Compare
Orange Grove1,089 people · $123K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Dawson

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in